A Double Win at Obal Roku Competition Shows That Move to Skin in Czech Market is Possible

Beating competition from local and international packaging companies on the Czech market, Cryovac Darfresh won the Obal Roku 2016 in Food category as well as the special Save Food award. The annual awards recognise the very best in meat packaging innovations, technology, design and ingenuity.

Sealed Air’s entry was based on partnership with market leading meat and sausage processor Kostelecke Uzeniny. The two companies have worked together for over 20 years, with Kostelecke Uzeniny investing in Cryovac Darfresh four years ago to package its premium quality beef steaks.

“This was the first time that Sealed Air has entered the Obal Roku awards and the inaugural year for the Save Food award in the Czech competition. For Sealed Air gaining this recognition is a real honour and testament to our ability to deliver innovative, high performance packaging systems” said Brian Jack, executive sales director for Central Europe, at Sealed Air Food Care.

The Obal Roku packaging competition attracted 85 entries from companies in the Czech Republic. The Syba Packaging Institute, a member of the World Packaging Organisation, introduced the Save Food category for the first time in 2016 – the initiative to recognise the sustainability performance of solutions that help to reduce food losses and waste[1].

“Cryovac Darfresh proved successful thanks to its innovative design for fresh red meat, differentiating from the traditional tray package with absorbent pad. The jury found the meat presentation appealing in its fresh appearance as a result of our customer’s creative design and the colour composition of the accompanying label, which allows for clear marking of the product” Brian Jack explained.

Petr Prček, startegic marketing manager at Kostelecke Uzeniny A.S said “With its high quality barrier properties Cryovac Darfresh is ideal for our premium aged beef cuts. In case of matured meats it is not only the effectiveness of packing that is at stake, but primarily the quality of the product, and we find that other packaging types could be less effective in enhancing those features.”

Cryovac Darfresh system uses vacuum skin technology resulting in a tight-fitting and perfectly sealed pack, which does not distort the product and offers a unique easy open feature. The packaging provides a high abuse resistance and improves the eating quality for consumers, enhancing tenderness and juiciness of the meat compared to other meat packaging formats, like MAP for example. This combination of packaging system performance improves protection, food safety and merchandising, while also extending shelf life.

“As a local meat processor we had a tough time competing on the Czech market on price with meat imported from Denmark, Ireland and Poland. With the high quality of Cryovac Darfresh solution we are letting people know, that the product inside is not a commodity with no character, but that they are buying something of value. Our objective at Kostelecke Uzeniny is to transform Czech fresh meat shelves to the Swiss model, with the predominant skin packaging in the meat aisles” - Mr. Prček concluded.

Winners of the Save Food special award will be presented at Interpack 2017 in Düsseldorf.

Sealed Air Corporation creates a world that feels, tastes and works better. In 2016, the Company generated revenue of approximately $6.8 billion by helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals in the face of today’s biggest social and environmental challenges. Our portfolio of widely recognized brands, including Cryovac® brand food packaging solutions, Bubble Wrap® brand cushioning and Diversey® cleaning and hygiene solutions, enables a safer and less wasteful food supply chain, protects valuable goods shipped around the world, and improves health through clean environments. Sealed Air has approximately 23,000 employees who serve customers in 171 countries. To learn more, visit www.sealedair.com.